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Swan Oyster Depot

If you're passionate about crab and fresh fish, Swan Oyster Depot is Mecca. It is both a restaurant and retail shop, and aficionados crowd into the 18 seats at the counter, where they chow down on a simple menu written on the blackboard. Most people already know what they want and it generally includes the Boston clam chowder and shellfish. The restaurant has roots back to 1912, but was purchased in 1946 by Sal Sancimino. It is now run by his sons. Part of the fun is the behind-the-counter banter between the Sancimino brothers — they crack jokes and boatloads of sweet, succulent crab.